750 Africans sent home
Today Spain repatriated 750 African immigrants - 600 from Senegal - who illegally entered the Canary Islands. According to Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba, the Spanish Interior minister, this repatriation is “an unmistakable message to the mafias” and was done with the “invaluable help of the government of Senegal”.
The Canary Islands, off the coast of Senegal, is one of Spain’s 17 autonomous communities; according to the governments of Senegal and Spain, it is one of the main sites for illegal immigration into Europe.
There was one word in this article that struck me as odd: Senegalese. As with many modern African nations, Senegal is the old colonial name given to the French colonial territory. There are no Senegalese - the largest ethnic group is the Wolof making up 43.3% of the population - in Senegal; that name is merely a layover of French occupation.
While Europe continues to label Africans by the old colonial monikers, European nations do not take responsibility for the undevelopment of African countries - through colonial controls which made the colony dependent on the conqueror - or the ethnic cleavages rampant in the formerly controlled territories, and do everything they can to make the darkies stay home.
With a GDP per capita of $1,800 and 54% of the population living below the poverty line, how are the “Senegalese” supposed to afford a legal immigration? On top of that, with 5.4% of the population HIV positive, 48% unemployment and a life expectancy of 56.59, what reason do the “Senegalese” have to stay?
Dissenters will cite Senegal’s relatively stable economy and longstanding democratic system - a rarity in African politics - but does relative stability raise the standard of living or just make it consistently poor?
Article: “Senegalese” repatriated
Reference: CIA World Factbook: Spain
Reference: CIA World Factbook: Senegal
This entry was contributed by Tony Cella.
May 21st, 2007 at 11:04 am
yes europe shares part of the blame for Africa’s poverty but what about personal responsibility?? how long can this blame game go on..? time now for Africa to stand up and work for itself instead of relying on foreign help and donations. look at Asia..it has come a long way since the colonial days..Africa can do the same.
May 21st, 2007 at 11:06 am
Interesting article, and it is so hard to believe there are people living so far below the poverty level. It’s hard to fathom here in our own country, and i guess poverty touches all countries.
May 28th, 2007 at 10:46 am
Good piece. I must say this is not surprising to hear. But, I too think it’s time for Africa to stand up and work for itself for a change!!
May 28th, 2007 at 7:57 pm
That’s true, Asia has done well since the colonial days, however Asian countries are more ethnically homogenous, unlike Africa. Both Rwanda and Democratic Republic Congo have large Tutsi and Hutu populations; my answer to this is redrawing the countries in such a way that Tutsi’s and Hutu’s have seperate states in order to prevent another Rwanda.